


Acceptable Risk

by skargasm



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-06
Updated: 2013-02-06
Packaged: 2017-12-03 19:42:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/701920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skargasm/pseuds/skargasm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>→  Xander learns that he has the power to frighten Giles with what he feels are unacceptable risks....</p>
            </blockquote>





	Acceptable Risk

**Title:** → Acceptable Risk  
 **Rating:** → NC17  
 **Author:** → [](http://skargasm.livejournal.com/profile)[**skargasm**](http://skargasm.livejournal.com/)  
 **Pairing:** → Giles/Xander  
 **Prompt:** → Prompt #342 : Foodist @ [](http://tamingthemuse.livejournal.com/profile)[**tamingthemuse**](http://tamingthemuse.livejournal.com/) & Prompt : Risks @ [](http://12-stories.livejournal.com/profile)[**12_stories**](http://12-stories.livejournal.com/)  
 **Fandom:** → BtVS  
 **Word Count:** → 1549  
 **Genre:** → AU  
 **Beta (s):** → Unbeta'd but proofread  
 **Disclaimer:** → Not mine.  
 **Summary:** → Xander learns that he has the power to frighten Giles with what he feels are unacceptable risks....  


* * *

“It is completely unacceptable. I thought I had made my feelings on the entire matter crystal clear but obviously I was mistaken. So we will go through the whole concept again for your benefit so that something like this does not happen again.”

It was actually really difficult to look penitent whilst lying spreadeagled on a bed, arms and legs held securely to the bedposts so that his entire body was on display. Actually it wasn't the position that made his remorse hard to show, it was his rampant erection, practically thumping against his lower abdomen and leaking with excitement. He wasn't sure he was entirely to blame – he had very quickly gotten used to being in this physical state when he was alone with Giles which made it an established habit right? How was he meant to fight that?

His arms were aching although it wasn't unbearable, more of an underlying ache. There but not impinging on his conscious mind unless he made a concentrated effort to think about it. But to be frank, his mind was elsewhere.

It stuttered away from questions such as who would have thought that Giles would have this bondage equipment, let alone how to use it so extremely well. It was safer not to dwell on those thoughts, mainly because Giles had a real thing about Xander being 'present' – in mind as well as body. Giles was very big on the whole not being distracted thing. Especially as that seemed to be the reason behind his almost sulky exterior an the unprecedented binding this evening along with the request for Xander to choose a safe word. Xander had got distracted during patrol, zigged when he should have zagged and ended up with a rather nasty gash down his side from a spear thrown by Buffy. Totally his own fault and in the past he would have gone home, performed rudimentary first aid and then promptly ignored it until it healed.

Tonight however that hadn't been possible. Tonight was actually the first time he had really suffered an injury since their relationship had changed, had _formalised_ into a real thing rather than a flirtation.

“Look Giles - “

“Shut. Up.” Stunned, he looked up at Giles' face and for the first time he really registered what Giles seemed to be feeling. This wasn't some kinky little game – even though Giles was looking at his body the way he always did, like a foodist faced with a sumptuous banquet to consume, there was something more. There was pain and there was fear.

“Giles - “

“Do you have any concept of how bloody difficult it was to see that this evening?”

“It was an accident!” His erection had completely subsided and he suddenly felt naked in a completely non sexual way. The way Giles' hands had been moving over his body had been arousing but now he realised something. These weren't the normally self assured caresses that drove him slowly out of his mind. Giles was mapping his scars, cuts and bruises, fingertips ghosting gently over the fresh wounds, his facial expression becoming more and more withdrawn and pained with each movement.

“No, it wasn't an accident – accidents cannot be avoided. This was carelessness – you let your mind wander, ignored the risks and this happened.”

“It was nothing – I've had way worse than this - “

“EXACTLY!! Xander, you take too many risks. It was hard enough before – I have always felt a sense of guilt at dragging children into this war. But now – since I have allowed myself to admit my feelings for you – I – I should be concentrating on Buffy and the bigger picture. Tonight, when this happened, I actually left Willow dealing with two of those dreadful creatures because I was rushing to get to you!! Such dereliction of duty - “

“MANTIS!” He saw Giles' head jerk back at the sound of his safe word, his hands automatically going to the bindings to set Xander free. He could only imagine what the older man thought was going on in his head – no doubt, Giles was convincing himself that Xander wanted to escape from him, that he had finally done enough to turn the younger man away from him. It had taken weeks to convince Giles that what Xander was feeling was real – weeks and a bold gesture both embarrassing and hot that would never be spoken of again! But he needed to be free, immediately. He needed to be able to do THIS!

As soon as his hands were free, he hauled Giles into his arms, dragging the stunned man to the bed and flipping them over in spite of the bonds still attached to his legs that fortunately stretched enough that he was looking down at him.

“Xander, I - “

“No, you need to listen. Please. You and I both know that in the world we live in, there is no way of knowing what is going to happen next. That prophecies can be dangerous to all of us; nightly patrol is full of demons waiting to take us out. And you also know that I use humour to fend off the seriousness of things. But I am serious about this Giles. More than you could possibly know. Are you listening to me?” He knew Giles was listening – the stunned look on the man's face had changed to confusion and curiousity but at least the pain was gone. Hiding, not forgotten, but for the moment gone. “If I had know how you felt, please believe me that I would never have let anything like tonight happen. It really was nothing compared to previous injuries but I understand that it is a nothing that could have been avoided if I had been paying attention. And I know just how angry I would be with you if something happened because you were careless. So, I'm telling you here and now, giving you the Alexander Lavelle Harris word of honour that in future, I will do my very best to pay attention so that you are never in that position again. You can't beat yourself up for what you did – and despite what you might be thinking, I am touched beyond words that you care enough about me to even _consider_ rushing to my rescue before Willow or Buffy – it's what we all do. We throw ourselves in front of bullets for each other every single night, and I would take a stake for you G-man.”

“I do so hate that nickname.”

“Stop avoiding the subject.” He dropped his head until their foreheads were pressed together and he was going slightly cross eyed meeting Giles' gaze.

“I – yes, I know what I did was the natural byproduct of our relationship moving to the next level but - “

“GILES! Stop big-wording it!”

“Fine. I love you so of course I wanted to save you. And I know there is nothing I can do to change that. I just - “

“You want to know that I respect your feelings enough not to risk something like that through carelessness?”

“Yes.”

“Then I swear it. You may not realise it, but I love you too much to let you hurt yourself – physically or mentally – on my behalf. See how easy that was?? No need to tie anyone up, get all librarian-like with the big words and the threats.”

“Well, yes, I know that I could have just spoken to you but I was feeling like I needed to impress upon you with more than words how important it is that you pay attention.”

“And it worked. You got my full attention. But Giles – Rupert. Surely you know by now that all you have to do is say the word, and you have my full attention. You're not in this alone.” So strange to see Giles looking insecure, to realise that this man he looked up to, was madly attracted to, wanted so desperately to impress felt the same towards him. Strange but satisfying. He let their lips meet in a gentle kiss, eyes wide open so that he could see Giles' response to his caress. “Better?”

Judging by the renewed response nudging his hip, it would most definitely appear that Giles was feeling better about everything but he waited for the slow nod before moving backwards until he could gently push Giles to the side of the bed, flopping down so that he was in his previous position once more.

“Good. Because I wanna know what else you can do with that toy-box you dragged out this evening. What word do I need to use to get you to tie me up again?” He gave Giles a cheeky wink, smiling at the flush that mounted his lover's cheeks. “Come on G-man, I get the feeling that in spite of the reason for it tonight you have been _dying_ to get me at your mercy. Have at it – and what's the betting the first thing you want to use is a gag?!”

* * *

fin

* * *


End file.
